Scented Tarot Decks

[rainboweve]

I've been in the process of moving house again, and as I'm going abroad for a good 8 months this fall most of my stuff was put in storage. Of course, I did bring along a box full of things that were important to me and that I use regularly, such as my Tarot decks... and one of the things I also packed into the box was a scented candle I had been using for meditations.

Well, I didn't get to my new place until around 3am due to a long drive, and as you can imagine I was so tired I went straight to bed and forgot all about my box of personal belongings until the next day when it was pointed out to me that the summer heat here gets in the triple digits, so I'd better get my stuff out of the car...

... but it was too late for my little candle! It was over halfway melted.. thankfully it didn't melt on to any of my stuff!! But interestingly enough, my deck was very NEAR to the candle in the box and actually picked up the scent of the melted candle.. so now my deck smells like Anjou pears!!

I'd love to know if anyone else has a scented deck, intentional(?!) or unintentional.

 

[Disa]

My Druidcraft smells like hazelnut flavoured coffemate. Purely unintentional

 

[gregory]

I have a couple that spent time in a box with a LOT of lavender candles, as they smelled terrible when they arrived.

Some that I bought from a particular store in Toronto still smell of incense. And a few of the used ones I have from members here too - but different incense !

 

[Barleywine]

I think I'm going to smudge my Radiant RWS with white sage incense. They still smell like chemicals! Maybe that will help.

ETA: I began to wonder what the occult properties of different scents might be, since I thought getting a cedar box might be an interesting way to scent a malodorous deck. I poked around in Table I of 777 and found that cedar (Column XLII, "Perfumes") is related to Jupiter and everything to do with the number four. Didn't find white sage, though; it must fall into one of the general categories (Odoriferous, Sweet, Voluptuous, Generous, Pungent, Fiery, Dull or Heavy Odors). I wonder where those are defined.

 

[shaveling]

I tend to store a package of incense in my deck drawers to give the cards that occult bookstore smell.

 

[velvetina]

I store most of my decks in the same drawer as I store incense; deliberately to perfume them.

Some decks (the Mary-el, the Thoth, the Bohemian Gothic) are fragranced with rose oil; some (Navigators, Spirit ) with frankincense.

One deck (the Rider Waite) is wrapped in silk & velvet scented with L'Heure Bleu, my favourite perfume...and another ( the Greenwood) with 'faerie' - an incense blend that has since vanished. I have no idea of the ingredients, but it smell is reminiscent of rose & bluebell blossom in an English wood, so perfect for that particular deck.

 

[gregory]

Good point - I DO burn incense in the room where I keep them all. But the ones that already smelled of incense seem to keep their own scent !

 

[Crystalflute]

I anoint my decks with either Frankincense or Patchouli when I first get it. Its a part of my ritual to bless and protect the deck. Then once per quarter I do a re-affirmation for the deck and for myself.

 

[dawntarot]

When I saw the title of this thread the first thing that came to mind was that episode of Red Dwarf where the Cat teaches Lister to read cat books...

I never thought of deliberately scenting a deck... I have a drawer where I keep all my "metaphysical" stuff though and it has a smell all of its own... I love it. So I think my deck has found a new place to sleep at night...

 

[rainboweve]

I had no idea so many people intentionally scented their decks!